Built with French assistance from an old cruiser, the Krasnoye Znamya (Red Banner) was the Soviet Navy's first attempt at seaborne aviation. Used mainly as a training ship to acquaint aviators, commanders, and deck crew personnel with flight operations, the Znamya's graduates manned the CV Krasnaya Ploshchad later on. Although she was very busy with her training role prior to the German invasion, the Znamya was kept in port on the Black Sea for most of the shooting war. The obsolescent Sukhoi Su-2 dive bomber formed her main complement, and hit an Italian U-boat in Znamya's most illustrious sortie. Crippled by motor torpedo boats floated down the Danube from Germany, Krasnoye Znamya was scrapped soon after the war.